News

Venture:
Target Center

Contractor:
Mortenson Construction

City of Minneapolis

Alliiance Architects

 

Empirehouse teamed with Mortenson Construction and Alliiance Architects as the architectural glass and metal contractor and a collaborative partner on the Target Center renovation project to transform a closed-off concrete façade into a modern and inviting light-filled space for fans to enjoy for decades to come. The Target Center renovation project is an excellent example of transforming a 27-year-old structure into a modern and relevant facility that re-connect it with the look and feel of the neighboring warehouse district. This also meant replacing blocked views of concrete with windows of transparency where Target Center patrons can look out to see surrounding city life, while those passing by can sneak peeks of Target Center sports and concert life within. This “seeing in and seeing out” was part of the fan experience that the design team had intended.

Preplanning and Design-assist partnership included early design review, value engineering, design collaboration, and cost control.

Scope:

  • A three-story, light-filled glass atrium featuring a monumental span curtainwall application at the corner of First Avenue and Sixth Street which serves as the new main entrance
  • Remodeled Executive Suites with 25 all-glass entrances and approximately 500 linear feet of all-glass drink railings
  • A new skyway lined with bird-safe glass and railings
  • Level 3 bullet-resistant security glass ticket box office with decorative glass fins
  • Twelve heavy-tempered folding and sliding glass wall systems with swinging doors
  • Approximately 4,500 total lineal feet of aluminum cover replacement on an existing exterior curtainwall system
  • Approximately 2,000 linear feet of LED lightboxes in the exterior metal panel façade
  • Curtainwall replacement along Sixth Street
  • Approximately 6,000 square feet of interior glass partition
  • Interior glass hand railings leading to an upper-level glass floor with iconic artwork
  • Lexus Club decorative back-lit onyx glass wall
  • Lynx and Timberwolves decorative shower doors with custom white laminated frosted finish
  • Hydro spa heavy glass walls
  • Overall exterior glass scope of approximately 14,000 total square feet

Venture: 
St.Cloud Public Library 

Collaborative Partners: 
W. Gohman Construction Meyer

Scherer & Rockcastle

Ltd. Architects

Empirehouse teamed with W. Gohman Construction and Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle, Ltd. on the St. Cloud Library project. While the curtainwall specified utilizes a standardized framing system, the design called for unique flared radius walls, extended wings, multiple roof slopes, and oversized glass lites reaching 56” x 163” and weighing over 500 pounds each. This made both the metal fabrication and glazing installation complex and challenging.

Five different types of glass coatings and colors further complicated the work. Empirehouse developed a solid coordination and pre-planning strategy to ensure that glass was correctly ordered and installed in the right location.

Adding to the difficulty, all of the exterior glass curtainwall openings were “virtually” measured before physical openings were completed. When the structure was ready to accept our materials, all the frames fit perfectly.

Humidity control was an important factor for this library project. Empirehouse provided numerous ties to the air barrier system to create humidity balance. In addition, the glass wall system accommodated a 1-1/2” deflection in the head of the frame while maintaining air barrier flexibility.

The architect’s design intent became a perfect marriage of energy efficiency with transparency. The low-E fritted glass throughout allowed for a high degree of transparency looking out and into the library and provided internal spaces with generous daylighting.

Scope:

  • Curtainwall
  • Oversize glass lites
  • The interior all-glass walls floor-to-ceiling glass room separators;
  • all-glass stair railings
  • all-glass elevator enclosures
  • all-glass doors.

Venture:
Children’s Hospital

Collaborative Partners:
Ellerbe-Becket

Knutson Construction

The Children’s Hospital and Clinics of Minnesota Minneapolis campus were constructed in two phases. Empirehouse was contracted to provide the exterior curtainwall and composite metal-panel system cladding for the new five-story building and the nine-story clinic expansion.

The new building’s curved façade connects to the tower expansion by a skyway which is composed of a monumental compound curved, dual-cantilevered structural silicone-glazed cladding system.

Empirehouse provided both the aluminum panel and curtainwall systems which maximized the envelope product integration and efficiency of the building envelope installation.

Empirehouse selected the façade and functional components to integrate within the curtainwall system. This allowed for easy access to windows from the inside or the outside of the enclosure. Vapor barrier components were installed to ensure that the patient environment was free of water infiltration.

Scope:

  • Multiple glass substrates, coatings, and frits.
  • EFCO Corporation fully captured and structural silicone glazed curtainwall framing, custom painted stone grey finish
  • Empirehouse provided mechanical louvers
  • Revolving door systems, automatic bi-parting door systems, automatic bi-folding door systems, and oversized bi-folding traffic doors.
  • Total glass and metal panel area: 36,000 square feet

Venture: 
Summit Orthopedics 

Collaborative Partners: 
RJM Construction – Minneapolis Office

Welsh Companies

MSP Commercial

Empirehouse teamed with RJM Construction and Architect Welsh Companies as the architectural glass and metal contractor for the Summit Orthopedics project in Eagan, MN. The Empirehouse team installed nine aluminum curtainwall systems, a storefront system, punched windows and entrance doors total a glass area of approximately 9,000 square feet.

Scope:

  • Total Glass Area: 9,000 square feet
    Aluminum storefront thermal clip framing system with approx. 1,000 square feet of heavy-duty, triple-glazed tinted, insulated vision glass lites with high-performance low ‘e’ coating installed on the third floor to buffer the roaring decibel level of departing and landing airplanes
  • Nine fully captured aluminum curtainwall systems with pressure-wall framing glazed with over 5,200 square feet of tinted, high-performance insulated vision and spandrel glass
  • Aluminum storefront thermal clip framing system glazed with over 2,700 square feet of tinted, insulated vision glass lites with high-performance low ‘e’ coating
  • Punched windows
  • Fire safing areas
  • Exterior aluminum doors

Venture:
1919 University

Collaborative Partners:
Greiner Construction
Tanek

Empirehouse partnered with Greiner Construction and Tanek Architects as the Architectural Glass and Metal Contractor for the 1919 University Corporate Facility renovation project located along the St. Paul light rail system. Replacing the once concrete and punched window facade is a huge curtainwall that brings in lots of natural daylight—plus a fresh modern look. In addition to the curtainwall is a new south entrance, interior vestibule, and glass handrail system.

Scope of Work: 

  • Replacement of punched windows
  • Curtainwall Installation
  • 154 Glass Units
  • Storefront Entrances
  • 125 Lineal feet of interior glass handrail
  • Approximately 7,000 Sf of Glass